Read Online A Season for Hope (Sarra Cannon) by Sarra Cannon - Free Book Online Page B

kind of stuff out in the open right from the start. No secrets. No surprises.”
    “Does that mean you’re going to tell me about your ex-girlfriends now?” I ask. “Because I’m really looking forward to that.”
    He laughs. “Are you being sarcastic?”
    “No,” I say in an exaggerated voice. “I love to hear about ex-girlfriends on a first date. Especially your sex life, don’t leave those details out.”
    He squeezes my hand. “I’m afraid my story isn’t very interesting anyway,” he says, laughing. “I was a geek in high school and didn’t really date anyone until I got to college. I dated a few girls here and there, then I met Mandy. We dated for about a year. I fell head over heels in love with her, thought we were going to get married and have babies together.”
    His confession takes my breath away. Guys don’t really admit this kind of stuff very often. “What happened?”
    “Oh, we’re still together,” he says, casually. “She’s at home with our three kids.”
    He says it so deadpan, I almost think he’s serious. Then, he breaks out in that sly smile of his and I smack him hard on the shoulder.
    “You asshole,” I scream. “I thought you were serious.”
    He holds his shoulder and leans away from me, laughing so hard it echoes across the darkness.
    “I’m sorry, but the look on your face was priceless,” he says.
    “I could kill you for that,” I say.
    He stands and tosses his trash into the metal can beside the row of benches. “Things were getting way too serious,” he says. “I had to lighten the mood.”
    “By making me think you were here with me while your wife sits at home with the babies?” I ask. “You have a twisted mind.”
    “Seriously,” he says. “I’m sweet.”
    “Sweet and apparently twisted.” I roll my eyes and pretend to be upset, but I can’t keep up the act for long. He’s too adorable.
    “What really happened?” I ask.
    He takes my hand again and we start walking down the boardwalk toward the pier.
    “She dumped me,” he says. “For her ex-boyfriend. It devastated me at the time, but then I came here and slowly, day-by-day, it stopped hurting so much.”
    I swallow, thinking about Preston and how I’ve spent the last few weeks barely able to get out of bed every morning.
    Knowing he’s been there makes this better somehow.
    We walk together for a while without saying anything. The waves crash against the shore just steps away from us, the high tide at its peak. A cold breeze whips past us, and I lean into him as we walk, letting his body be my shield.
    “Do you want to walk up on the pier?” he asks.
    “Sure,” I say.
    He leads me up onto the wooden pier. It’s only about seven-thirty and the fishermen are taking advantage of the changing tide. They hang their sturdy poles over the side, many of them baiting hooks and casting out into the dark abyss beyond.
    Lights like lamp-posts are situated every ten feet or so, illuminating the worn boards along the length of the pier.
    We walk all the way down to the very end and find an empty spot along the railing to stand and stare out at the water. Because of the lights, we can just make out the water below. From here, it looks dark navy in color, peaks of white frothing up here and there and catching the light.
    I place my feet on the first rail and lean over the edge to look straight down and a rush of fear goes through me. I welcome it, loving that feeling when my stomach seems to drop out from under me like I’m on a rollercoaster.
    Judd puts his hands around my waist, as if holding onto me for dear life.
    I laugh and step back down to his level. “Scared?”
    “You were freaking me out,” he says. “Don’t lean so far over. What if you fell?”
    I lean one arm all the way over the side and raise my eyebrows at him. “What about this? Is this scary?”
    He pretends to hide his eyes. “I’m serious, don’t do that.”
    I throw my arms around him. “I’m sorry,” I say. “Are